The present invention generally relates to methods of feeding young monogastric mammals and to compositions fed to young monogastric mammals. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods of feeding young monogastric mammals before weaning and to compositions fed to young monogastric mammals before weaning.
The economic viability of monogastric mammal production is directly related to the litters produced. In particular, litter weights at weaning and the mortality rate of the litters are important factors. For example, over the past decade or so, advances in sow feeding techniques have caused litter sizes produced by sows to generally increase. Despite these improved litter results, overall litter weights at weaning have disappointingly remained stagnant.
A larger litter weight at weaning often corresponds directly to how fast the members of the litter will grow to a marketable or market weight. Another concern is that lower weight members are more likely to die prior to weaning, as compared to their heavier brothers and sisters of the litter. For instance, lighter weight litter members are especially susceptible to hypothermia because they have a larger ratio of surface area to body weight than heavier weight litter members. Additionally, lighter weight litter members typically have only a minimal amount of reserve energy stored at birth and therefore are at an increased risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) if the lighter weight litter members fail to receive adequate nourishment in the first few days following birth. Similarly, lighter weight litter members that are sick, injured, or out-competed at mealtime by heavier litter members may miss a feeding, become progressively weaker and therefore continue to miss subsequent feedings, and eventually starve to death. Thus it is increasingly important to monogastric mammal producers, such as pork producers, to assure that all members of the litter, especially those with a relatively low birth weight and most at risk of dying, receive adequate caloric intake starting at birth to maximize survival rates from each litter.
Although various feeding techniques have been proposed and/or practiced over the years and have enhanced the overall knowledge base with respect to monogastric mammal feeding, such as swine feeding, these techniques have not adequately addressed the problem of how to most economically, efficiently, and effectively increase both the survival rate of young monogastric mammals beyond weaning and young litter weights at weaning. The present invention provides a composition and method for feeding young monogastric mammals, such as piglets, before weaning that has been surprisingly found to significantly increase both feed intake by the litter and individual monogastric mammals prior to weaning while also increasing litter and young monogastric mammal weights at weaning.